HEADLINES
Beaufort Castle: Hezbollah Denies Full Control
Next Hamas Leaders Emerge in Gaza
Hormuz Transit Rules Key to Peace Deal

The time is now 9:02 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Maritime leaders say US-Iran peace deal must provide clear framework for Strait of Hormuz transit, shipping executives meeting in Athens on Monday said that any peace deal worked out between the United States and Iran would need to offer clear rules allowing vessels to resume normal business via the Strait of Hormuz. Shipowners and maritime industry officials met at a Capital Link conference and other events to begin Posidonia, a week-long biennial shipping exhibition. "What we need is obviously a framework, a set of rules, a regulation, whatever tells us exactly how we can go in and get out. So even if a peace deal was signed, that needs to be clarified, and that we don't know as yet," said Pankaj Khanna, President of Heidmar Maritime Holdings Corp. He says the company had a vessel stuck inside the Gulf for the past three months and noted the impact on seafarers. "Obviously, the seafarers on board are missing out, not only on seeing their families but also on births, on deaths, on marriages." Vasilis Kikilias, Greece's shipping minister, reflected on the ongoing conflict, saying, "Can somebody predict (the end of the conflict)? Unfortunately, no. It has been proven that there is no prediction, and things get messy in terms of conflicts very, very easily, and they get untangl...

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, Bahrain’s demons awaken as the Gulf state endures the fallout of a larger 40-day war involving Israel, the United States and Iran, with missile and drone barrages and a naval blockade from Tehran. The Gulf kingdom faces social and economic strains that feed domestic tensions, including a Sunni ruling dynasty governing a largely Shi’ite population, and a history of protests tied to grievances over resources and opportunity. Bahrain’s leadership has faced scrutiny as socio-economic pressures ignite demonstrations that activists frame as a challenge to a foreign influence and to regional power dynamics. Amid this, the region wrestles with shifting loyalties and longstanding fault lines that complicate the path for any regional stabilization.

Several figures emerge as next leaders of Hamas in Gaza, but who will end up leading? Hamas has been described as leaderless in Gaza after a string of targeted eliminations, including the killings of Mohammed Odeh and Izz al-Haddad in recent weeks. Israel’s approach has not fully cleared Hamas from Gaza, leaving the group in control of substantial territory while individuals both inside Gaza and abroad are discussed as potential successors. Hamas leadership has long been split between Gaza and allies abroad, with past figures such as Ismail Haniyeh, Ghazi Hamid, Khaled Meshaal and Saleh al-Arouri based outside the strip, while others have been killed in the ongoing conflict. Analysts note that leadership remains in flux as the group rebuilds and contends with outside pressure and internal divisions.

What is Beaufort Castle, the historic Crusader fortress Israel now holds in Lebanon? The IDF said Beaufort Ridge outpost near the Litani River was captured as part of efforts to reduce threats from Hezbollah to northern Israel. Beaufort Castle, known locally as Qal'at al-Shaqif, rises above the surrounding landscape and has long stood as a strategic vantage point. The fortress traces its history to the Crusader era, with Fulk the Younger and Queen Melisende credited with its early development, and it later passed to local lords before becoming part of the region’s complex medieval and later history. The current operation places the site at the center of ongoing tensions with Hezbollah and the broader northern front.

For the first time in decades, Israel is imposing its will on Hamas. An argument linked to Israel’s military strategy notes a shift in assessments of Hamas leadership, following high-profile eliminations of senior commanders such as Izz al-Din al-Haddad on May 15 and Mohammed Odeh on May 26. The pattern described sees Israel moving to dismantle Hamas’s military infrastructure across Gaza and beyond, while regional actors weigh the implications of a weakened leadership structure and potential realignments within the organization.

Hezbollah denies full Israeli control of Beaufort, Hezbollah’s claim: In an official statement from the organization’s operations room, it is claimed that IDF forces do not have full control of Beaufort Castle, and that the arrival of the force at the site over the weekend was solely for the purpose of taking a "victory photo" for propaganda. Attrition battles in the area, the organization says, are ongoing as fighters engage IDF troops trying to establish themselves near the fortress. Documentation on the way: Hezbollah declares that soon they will publish video clips from the field to prove their claims and show the damage to the forces.

In Trump consolidates Middle East policy by appointing Special Envoy Tom Barrack to Iraq and Syria, US Envoy Tom Barrack has played a key role in US policy in the Middle East over the past year. He was appointed Special Envoy to Syria last year and is also the US Ambassador to Turkey. The envoy helped shape US support for the new government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was introduced to President Trump in 2025, and Barrack was given a central role to help make this alignment a reality. Barrack has drawn criticism from some who back the Kurdish-led SDF, as the group has sought autonomy or integration into new Damascus security structures. Barrack has backed the integration of the SDF into the Damascus security forces, while some SDF supporters preferred continued autonomy. “Ambassador Tom Barrack has played an invaluable role as our Special Envoy to Syria,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on May 30. “While that title is expiring, he will continue to play a leading role for the Trump Administration in both Syria and Iraq, where his expertise, relationships, and understanding of the America First approach will be essential.”

In Israeli Domestic Politics, בגצ קובע: רומן גופמן - ראש המוסד הבא. The Israeli Supreme Court has ruled that Roman Gopman will be the next head of Mossad.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
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SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-897988
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-897977
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-897989
https://www.jpost.com/history/article-897970
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-897964
https://t.me/hnaftali/23255
https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-897991
https://t.me/abualiexpress/123533